1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system and method for comparative operational performance analysis and benchmarking and in a preferred embodiment to the analysis and benchmarking of the operational effects of automation utilizing a two-dimensional graphical depiction of risk that visualizes changes in performance frequency, severity, and risk.
2. Background Summary
In the fields of automation and advanced process controls, technological advances often result in the commercialization of new products that will presumably provide reliability and production savings. In addition, certain changes in operational procedures, training, and maintenance practices implemented at industrial facilities can have similar performance improvement objectives. However, a problem in the art exists, since no systems or methods are known prior to the invention disclosed herein, which effectively quantifies performance improvements, such as reliability and production.
In practice, measuring quantitative change in industrial processes is complicated by the concomitant effects of external and internal factors that are simply part of what is occurring at the facility or facilities undergoing the performance improvement activities. Since no general method exists to censor non-relevant factors, determining the effects of non-applicable external and internal factors is a challenge. For example, data must be screened to only measure improvements on specific equipment, process units, or areas and control groups must be established to test for placebo effects.